Sarcasm isn’t a universal language
Written by Ashley Kelmore, Posted in Random
“That’s the thing most New Yorkers forget when they venture beyond the City limits. Most Americans don’t spend 80% of their waking hours constructing witty comebacks and side remarks. Not everyone acts as if they’re on stage at the improv or trying to outwit Groucho Marx or George Bernanrd Shaw. Most people say what needs to be said and shut up.”
–From “Redemption Street” by Reed Farrel Coleman
I heard this on my run this morning, listening to Thursday’s podcast of Fresh Air. I’ll probably never read the book from which it comes (I’m not a big mystery buff), but this struck me. I think I was a New Yorker, to a degree, before I even came here, because I’ve always been a bit sarcastic. But it’s good to be reminded that while here, and amongst many of my friends, that’s a fun personality trait, it’s not always what others want to experience. I like the idea of trying more often to say what needs to be said and then shutting up.
well, I also think we care about public service, and express it under the radar. Certainly, that was a take away from graduation, and talking to non-new yorkers this weekend.